Wolf Pack 'flips the switch,' rallies past Air Force in OT

The Nevada basketball players weren't playing a game of Monopoly at Lawlor Events Center on Saturday.

But in the waning moments of regulation against Air Force, they found a "Get Out of Jail Free" card. It really came in handy.

The Wolf Pack, which completely dominated the first half and led by as much as 18, sleep-walked through most of the second half of their Mountain West Conference game.

But a pair of late turnovers by the Falcons let Nevada tie it up, and the Wolf Pack recaptured that early dominance, outscoring AFA 15-2 in the extra period, to post a 69-56 victory in front of 6,376 fans.

"I don't know, if you're playing that game, if it's fun at the time," said Wolf Pack guard Deonte Burton, who was held to 10 points, 11.7 below his MWC-leading season average, but added seven assists and six rebounds. "But we fought. We trusted each other. ? It's a big win. It's fun now, though."

The Wolf Pack, which improved to 7-2 in the MWC and 12-10 overall, went two games above .500 for the first time this season and won for the eight time in its last 11 games. Nevada is 3-2 in overtime.

The Wolf Pack scored the first 13 points of the game and led 28-10 with 3 minutes, 45 seconds left in the first half as the Falcons missed 17 of their 18 3-point tries.

Air Force (3-6, 9-11) returned the favor, scoring the first 12 points of the second half to cut the Pack's lead to 31-30.

"When you've got a lead like that, you've got to come out in the first five minutes (of the second half) and play like you're behind," Nevada coach David Carter said. "I think (in the players' minds) we thought they were going to quit. ?

"(It's the) first time we've been up at the half by double digits (this season), the first time we've been in that position. I thought our guys relaxed. It's a learning lesson."

The Falcons, who played without leading scorer Tre' Coggins (two-game team suspension), took their first lead at 39-38 with 12:12 to play and generally maintained a one- to three-point lead over the next 10 minutes while the Wolf Pack struggled to penetrate AFA's tight zone defense and continued to miss most of their 3-point shots (6-for-16 in the first half, 1-for-13 in the second).

"They kind of baited us into shooting threes," said Carter, whose team went 7-for-32 from long range and combined with AFA to miss 54 of 67 3-point shots (AFA, 6-for-35). "We shot it pretty well in the first half, and the second half we settled for the 3-point shot."

The Falcons led 54-52 with 31 seconds to play, but they twice threw the ball away. Cole Huff tied it with an offensive rebound and putback to force overtime.

A.J. West, the Wolf Pack's first-year center, was virtually non-existent in regulation, but he dominated the extra period, scoring seven points to go with five rebounds and two blocks. He finished with 10, 12 and four, respectively. Jerry Evans Jr. (17 points, 10 rebounds) also had a double-double, and Huff chipped in with 13 points and seven rebounds.

"The switch flipped," said West, who added that he got "screamed on" by Carter during regulation. "We were down. We had to get this 'W'. ? I just have to stop being a tale of two halves. I have to play the whole game."

The entire team can say that about this one.

NEVADA 69, AIR FORCE 56 (OT)

KEY STAT: 11-2 - Air Force outrebounded Nevada 24-15 in the second half, but the Wolf Pack dominated the boards in OT 11-2, including four offensive rebounds by A.J. West.

KEY PLAYER: A.J. West - The Wolf Pack's junior center had three points, seven rebounds and two blocks in regulation, but he dominated overtime with seven points, five rebounds and two more blocks as Nevada won the OT period 15-2.

KEY TO THE GAME: The Falcons led 54-52 with 31 seconds left and had the ball, but they threw the inbounds pass away, and after Nevada tied it on a put-back by Cole Huff, AFA fumbled it out of bounds on the offense end with 6.7 seconds left.

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Wolf Pack 'flips the switch,' rallies past Air Force in OT

The Nevada basketball players weren't playing a game of Monopoly at Lawlor Events Center on Saturday.But in the waning moments of regulation against Air Force, they found a 'Get Out of Jail Free'

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